The Nexx X30 is a radical-looking helmet with a new type of construction
designed to bridge the gap between flip-up and full-face.

Background

Nexx is a relatively new motorcycle helmet manufacturer.

The company is based in Portugal, a country that is establishing itself
as a force in European motorcycle helmet manufacturing.

Nexx has been designing and building helmets for about 7 years.

In that short time frame, Nexx has developed a worldwide distribution
network and their helmets are sold in over 40 countries, now including the
U.S.

Nexx recently established a North American distribution and retail arm
in the United States so the Nexx X30 is one of those cool-looking European
helmets that we review that really is available here!

Nexx started their assault on the world market with the X60, a "Jet"
styled helmet that comes in a huge number of styles and colors for men,
women and children. We have a couple of examples in the evaluation process
and we'll report on this model soon.

Nexx designs all of their own helmets and manufactures them in an ISO9001
certified plant in Portugal. The Nexx X30 "MAXi Jet" is the second
design penned by Nexx staff, and the idea was to create a ground-breaking
new type of helmet that would provide the convenience of a flip-up with
the safety of a full-face helmet.

The X30 meets both ECE 22.05 and DOT safety standards, and one of it's
most interesting features allowed it to be homologated as an ECE full-face
helmet, according to Nexx.

Looking at the helmet, you might at first wonder how this is possible.
But read on, and you'll see in our photos and video that the X30 has a unique
one-piece helmet base system that includes a narrow chin bar across the
front. The rotating visor snaps into this chin bar to form what is likely
to be a more robust protective shell than most or all of the flip-up helmets
we've tried.

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality

The Nexx X30 comes in several bright metalflake colors in Europe and
it's currently available in the U.S. in both a menacing-looking matte black
and matte gray, along with a "Viper" pattern in a swath of colors.
The Viper graphics match the angularity of the styling, and although this
design may not be to everyone's liking, one thing's for sure -- the X30
is beautifully made.

The orange metalflake X30 shown here has a flawless surface finish, with
a fine metallic sheen that has more depth in reality than in these photos.
The large black areas on the helmet are mostly a type of plastic contrast
to the coloration, and they are all very nicely fitted to the helmet without
a gap, sharp edge or bit of flashing.

This is apparently very difficult to achieve, if the plastic fittings
found on most other brands of helmets are anything to go by.

The molding and fitting of this much black material to such a bright
helmet would have to be absolutely perfect, because the tiniest imperfection
would stand out like a pimple on a balloon. I can find no such imperfections
anywhere on this helmet, which feels substantial and solid. So this is not
some cheap and flimsy novelty; it's obvious that a lot of thought and care
went into the construction of the X30.

The unique rotating visor incorporates a chin vent, and the top vent
is molded as part of the black assembly mounted on the top of the helmet
that also covers the rear exhaust vents. Both the chin vent and top vent
buttons work well, with intuitive movements that are easy to find and use.

The liner is also different looking and it's fully removable, as are
the cheek pads. The liner features a pattern of hexagonal-looking padded
sections and everything has been assembled without flaws.

So overall the Nexx X30 gets high marks for a flawless execution in this
example.

Score: I'll give the Nexx X30 an "Outstanding"
rating for the paint, overall finish, quality and liner. See the ratings
scale in the summary table at the bottom of this page for a description
of the rating system.

The X30 has a mostly round internal shape that tends towards neutral.
It should fit a majority of those head shapes. For comparison purposes,
I'd say the X30 has an internal shape somewhat like a cross between a
Shoei RF-1000 and an
Arai Quantum II.

But the shell design is obviously very different from those examples.
The X30's shell feels slightly shorter from top to bottom than the average
helmet; not enough to have my chin sticking out the bottom, but it is different.
Also, the X30 does have a shorter front-to-back internal distance than what
I'd expect.

This helmet is a size XL and the front of my chin just touches the back
of the wrap-around chin bar. I'd like to see a slightly different design
with more room in the front, at least for my admittedly non-average shaped
head.

Based on this example, I'd say the sizes run true to expected dimensions.
The Nexx sizing chart for the X30 lists an XL at 61-62 cm, and my estimate
is that this size XL is just about right on the mark.

So I'd expect the other sizes to run true; the X30 size range runs from
XS to XXL and I assume there are two different shell sizes across that range.
My guess would be that the L through XXL use a large shell size, while the
smaller sizes use a smaller shell, but I'm not certain of this.

If this is the case, I'm wondering if Nexx might consider a third shell
size for XL and XXL (and maybe XXXL) sizes. This might allow some extra
room for the chin bar and internal padding.

The unique padding on the inside is slightly thin. It's not as plush
as, for example, the Arai Quantum
II or the OGK FF-5 by any means,
but on the other hand, I haven't experienced any pressure points either.
The angular shapes of the padding pockets are distributed over a wide enough
surface area to keep everything comfortable.

See the wBW
Motorcycle Helmet FAQ for more information on choosing and fitting a
motorcycle helmet and for a discussion regarding human head shapes. And
don't forget that choosing the correct helmet shape is crucial for both
comfort and safety!

Score: I'll give the a "Very Good" for
comfort and fit and sizing, which runs true. But the slightly smaller internal
dimensions may mean that some owners with a head size large enough for an
XL may not fit the front-to-back dimensions.

ADDENDUM: Eyeglasses and the Nexx X30

I forgot to mention, I can fit my thin wire-framed eyeglasses in the
X30, but there are no ear pockets, so eyeglasses with thicker frames may
be problematic. Also, the absence of ear pockets and the relatively thin
liner may make it difficult to fit speakers.

As mentioned in the previous sections, the X30's liner is removable and
washable, and the cheek pads remove separately. There are no accessory cheek
pads of different thicknesses listed on the Nexx website, so it's not clear
whether these are available, but I'd guess not.

The liner and cheek pads connect to the helmet shell with typical plastic
snaps, but these have a firm feel and the liner overall feels like it's
solidly in place and should not drift free.

Some helmet manufacturers seem to skimp on the liner to shell connectors,
probably thinking that the average owner won't see or use them. This is
fine until the first time you have to remove or replace the cheek pads,
and I've had more than one flimsy connector break loose from the shell on
the very first try. Not so on the X30; the snaps feel like they should last
for as many times as you'd care to remove the liner.

The lining material does feel different than most helmets and it's difficult
to describe. It's smooth and comfortable, feeling like sort of a cross between
a fine flannel and one of those synthetic throws one might use as a blanket
while mind-melding with The Tube on a cold winter's eve.

The liner does seem to control moisture better than other helmets, so
that's a plus. The neck roll includes sections of reflective material and
the chin strap is well-padded and feels comfortable.

Score: I'll give the Nexx X30 a mixed result here,
with an "Excellent" for the liner construction and fitment and
a "Good" for liner comfort and padding.

The chin vent on the X30 is incorporated into the rotating visor. The
front of the helmet at the chin bar is shaped like a "V", with
the lower part of the V acting as the visor release and the upper part is
the chin vent.

It's very easy to use and it's intuitive. Push it in and the cover tilts
back to allow very good air flow up on to the back of the visor. This is
important because, as you'll learn, the face shield on the X30 does not
open. Once up to about 20 MPH or so, the air can be felt through the chin
vent.

The top vent is a simple slider that is easy to find, located up on top
of the vent assembly attached to the top of the helmet. Push it back to
uncover the vent holes, but the liner design inhibits some of the air flow.
Overall, it's about average in my opinion.

Both of these switches work smoothly and have a good feel and overall
the construction of the venting system seems sturdy and it should provide
long service with no problems.

The rotating visor on the X30 can be popped open as slower speeds, but
as with any flip-up helmet, this is not advisable when moving.

Score: The X30 gets an "Excellent" rating
for the design and operation of the vents and for the chin vent air flow.
I'll give it a "Good" for the upper venting system and I'll leave
it up to you to decide about the non-movable face shield.

Nexx X30, side view, showing the chin bar integral with the base of
the helmet.

Probably the most unique feature on the X30 is the design of the rotating
visor, which is unlike any of the other flip-up or modular helmets we've
reviewed.

The entire visor, including the face shield, rotates upwards. It rotates
back or up to about the same location as a normal flip-up helmet. The photo
above shows the visor rotated to its uppermost position.

The big difference here is that the X30's face shield does not open.
I'm not sure why this design was chosen -- it may bother some owners, while
others may not mind. I will admit that the first few times I wore the helmet,
it felt a bit strange and slightly claustrophobic. Once I get up to speed
though, there isn't a noticeable difference.

But realize that the face shield can not be popped open for demisting
or ventilation at slower speeds. The entire visor can be easily rotated
upwards with one hand, but I'd advise against doing this while moving, the
same warning I'd give to any flip-up helmet owner.

The face shield is removable though; that large black gasket around the
edges is made from a vinyl or rubber-like material and the face shield can
be removed and replaced -- Nexx has a dark smoke shield listed as an accessory.

The visor rotates on a mechanism covered by a large screw on the sides.
Those round black circles on either side are made from the same material
as the rest of the black sections of the helmet. We did not remove the visor
or the face shield on this helmet, so I can't comment on the procedure,
but from reading the owner's manual, it appears to be pretty straightforward.

You may have noticed from the photos that the eye port opening looks
smaller than normal, and it is and it isn't. When wearing the helmet, the
peripheral vision is less than optimal, but no more so than, for example,
the Shark RSX.

The eye port is cut at an angle down below the rider's eyes though, and
this does impede the outward vision slightly. Again, something that some
riders will have no problem with while others may find it to be bothersome.

The design of the X30 allows the visor to attach to the chin bar, or
hoop, with a single snap in the front. Pressing the button in the lower
part of the "V" in the front pops open the latch and allows the
visor to be rotated upwards. The latch and the catch are made from a type
of plastic, but the system feels solid.

The good thing about this design is that it allows the X30 to be homologated
as a full-face helmet to ECE safety standards, according to Nexx literature.
The chin bar is an integral part of the entire base of the helmet, and Nexx
says it was designed to absorb and distribute the shock around the helmet.

We think this is an excellent approach which has the potential of improving
crash performance for flip-up helmet designs. Frontal impact protection
has been somewhat controversial or questionable in flip-up helmets, and
we'd like to see more work done in this area. It can even be imagined that
a combination of the removable protective chin bar on the
Schuberth J1 could be
combined with a flip-up visor to offer better chin protection with the openness
of a flip-up helmet.

Score: The Nexx X30 gets a "Good" rating
for the design of the visor assembly, but I'll leave it up to you whether
or not you can live with the face shield that does not open.

Noise Levels

Once the Nexx X30 is on and I'm moving, I really don't notice any difference
between this helmet and a typical full-face helmet in terms of air flow,
feel, comfort or noise levels. So the unique design of the X30 doesn't seem
to affect performance.

The helmet has what could be termed average noise control; it seems to transmit
average to less than average noise levels at all speeds, and lower than
average noise levels around the base of the helmet, where the typical low-frequency "booming"
noises can sometimes be generated when riding behind a short fairing or
windscreen.

The clear face shield does not open and it's sealed all the way around
with the black gasket, so this area is pretty much eliminated from the noise
equation, which may help to keep overall noise levels lower than average.

For more information on helmet noise, visit the wBWMotorcycle
Helmet Noise page. Also, note that we always wear high-quality, correctly
fitted ear plugs when riding -- see the wBWEarplugs and
Hearing Protection page for more information on choosing and wearing
earplugs.

If you don't wear ear plugs, all bets are off -- every motorcycle helmet
is dangerously noisy, in our opinion, and your hearing is as precious as
your eyesight, so don't mess with it. Wear ear plugs.

Also, remember that noise levels can be highly variable, with factors
like the type of motorcycle, riding position, clothing, windscreens and
more all playing a role.

Score: The X30 a "Very Good" rating for
slightly lower than average noise levels, which takes into consideration
the unique design.

The X30 has an internally rotating sun visor, which has excellent optical
qualities. A sliding switch on the left-hand side of the helmet moves the
sun visor up and down, and it can be stopped in any position.

It's a simple but effective method of controlling the movement of the
sun visor, and it works well. When the sun visor is fully engaged, the bottom
edges are in the lower part of my vision, so I wish it were either wider
or rotated further down.

It also has a curved bottom with a cutout for the nose, but I wish helmet
manufacturers would simply cut this straight across, which would make the
visor more effective when lowered slightly to keep out the glare of the
sun when riding.

But overall, the sun visor in the X30 works well and the optical quality
of the polycarbonate is a plus.

Score: The X30 gets a "Good" for the operation
of the internal sun shade.

Helmet Weight

The X30's shell is made from a type of "Advanced Thermo Resin",
according to Nexx. As mentioned above, we think the shell is on the small
side for a size XL helmet, but this does help keep the weight down.

Score: The X30 gets an "Excellent" for
low weight for this type of helmet.

Miscellaneous

The X30 uses what has become the standard European "quick release"
buckle. It has a serrated tab that fits into the buckle mechanism like a
ratchet, and it releases quickly. The strap length must be adjusted the
first time it's used, but the serrations insure a small range of micro-adjustment
when the buckle is secured.

It has been the practice of most European helmet manufacturers to switch
to a D-ring for their North American DOT helmets, but Nexx has chosen to
keep the ratcheting system on the X30.

The X30 meets ECE 22.05 safety standards as a full-face helmet. The Nexx
X30 sold in North America meets DOT standards. I don't know what the warranty
is for helmets sold in North America.

wBW Video:
Nexx X30 Helmet

Conclusion

The Nexx X30 is definitely different and unique. It's good to see a helmet
manufacturer pushing the envelope in an industry that generally takes either
a conservative or a "follow the leader" approach.

While the styling and the functionality may not be for everyone, the
X30 brings a difference that may be relished by others. And it's also wonderful
to have such a unique helmet available in North America.

In the past, potential owners would have to source their interesting
helmet finds from far away retailers, with all the hassles of shipping costs,
language barriers and parts and service issues. Not to mention potential
DOT safety standard problems.

I very much like the X30; it's comfortable, great-looking and surely
gives me a unique look!

Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
Not all comments will be published (details).
Comments may be edited for clarity prior to publication.

From "B.G." (10/10): "Iíve had this
helmet (Nexx X30) for a little over 3 months. I ride a KTM 625 supermoto
about 2-5 times a week and it is my only helmet.

The styling, concept, and internal sun visor are the primary reasons
I bought this helmet. The first helmet that I received had some major issues
with the primary clear visor. It had a resin type material that would not
come off of the inside that smeared and just made for impossible perfect
visibility. It also had a scratch on the internal sun visor and two scratches
on the outside of the helmet. Horrible initial experience.

I probably should have stopped there but I let them replace it. The 2nd
one came with a similar issue on the primary clear visor but I finally cleaned
it and exposed a pretty subpar method of securing the primary visor, two
cut screws (literally) holding the visor in place. That was disappointing,
for $350 I expected the helmet to be made with hardware made to exact specifications.

The helmet looked great and all of the mechanical functionality was acceptable,
however, I have found that it is a warm weather helmet only. It virtually
has no anti-fog capability in cold weather. The air vent in the front of
the helmet barely does the job. In cold/cool weather it is almost worthless.

The fit of the helmet is near perfect for me. I wear a size 7 Ĺ hat,
narrow (sort of) long face and I bought a Large. I believe the helmet would
protect me if conditions were met but the overall craftsmanship is not indicative
of a $350 helmet in my opinion.

I would give this helmet a 6 out of 10. I give it that much only because
they are ahead of the game in the styling and concept department. If they
can get it together in the quality department they will have an excellent
product.

I feel (this) is a very fair and accurate description of my experience.
Thank you."

From "D.S." (3/09): "Bought
one on the strength of this article. Impressions after riding with it a
bit: It looks bloody awesome, no question there. Quality throughout seems
top-notch.

I picked up an orange/black affair, fully matter, and it has some great
reflective panels on the main shell, as well as that 3M reflective material
on the outer liner, where it's visible from the outside. The chin-strap
system is pure joy even with the bulkiest gloves I own, and I wish I could
order it as an upgrade for all of my other helmets. Those are the positives.

Viewport is smaller than I really anticipated - my side vision is almost
unacceptable in this helmet; it's honestly felt dangerous on the highway
a few times, having what seemed like almost tunnel vision.

The smoked sub-visor doesn't really stop easily at any angle; well -
it will, if you stand perfectly still without any nearby source of vibration.
It almost seems to be counterweighted; it either wants to be fully up, or
fully down.

That said, 'fully up' leaves a sliver of it in my vision field, and 'fully
down' more or less cuts my vision in half. A bit more down would've been
a plus - in other helmets, the down position is usually to the point of
actually hitting my nose uncomfortably. While not causing pain is a plus,
I think they erred a bit far over the side of caution.

It may be only my head, but my chin almost juts out from under the chin
bar. I've never had this issue before, so it seems unique to this helmet
design (I'm wearing their largest size available). If there was (there isn't)
a chin curtain, my chin'd be stretching it down. This also means that my
chin is rather effectively blocking air from getting into the helmet from
below...

Which brings us to venting, and that main attraction, the perma-closed
visor. With the chin vent fully open, top vent as well, the shield fogs
up quickly on chilly days (45 Fahrenheit) at any speed under 40mph, in my
current experiences. Faster than that, and the chin vent appears to do some
measure of good.

This meant that much of my city riding was spent with the face portion
flipped up, which is definitely sub-optimal. The chin latch is also not
disposed to easy locking; after any attempt to close it (even when a click
is heard), I generally have to grab the face portion and press down hard,
to get it to fully engage.

That may seem like a huge quantity of negative - and frankly, it is -
but I'm looking forward to seeing how this helmet will perform for me in
warmer weather. That, and ordered some
Fog City inserts, they've worked for me in other helmets."

Take Two (Also by D.S.): "It's three months
later, and I've taken the x30 off of its hook perhaps 10 times in that span.
Has anything changed?

The viewport, I can tolerate now - this is partially due to swapping
out stock mirrors on my bike for good quality CRG bar-ends; I can see far
more of what's around me in 'em, so I don't feel so hampered by the lowered
peripheral vision.

It is still a factor, and a negative one -- you really
can't see as much of what's around, and while a normal helmet will give
you a clear view of what's to the side and behind with a quick head turn,
you'll end up relying (over-relying) on your mirrors in this helmet.

The subvisor, well, I don't really know any more why I cared that I couldn't
stop it halfway. I do wish it came down further, still.

The locking mechanism has essentially become a joke to me at this point;
if I really want it to lock down - and given how easily it fogs up (more
on that in a moment), I generally -don't- want it locked down, as not being
able to see is more dangerous than having an unlocked visor - it takes repeated
closings, checking to see if it's locked, pressing the button down while
closing, praying for that 'click' which means an uncomfortable helmet has
just become even less comfortable, and is in 'ready-to-fog' mode.

Fogging. Fog City inserts, and another brand which escapes me, laugh
at the visor shape; there's no way to fit them, period. It really is an
undersized visor... but that's okay, because the visor already has an anti-fog
coating, right? Right.

The visor fogs up on low-humidity days, regardless of air temperature...
it fogs when sheer logic dictates that there's no way it could fog. The
chin vent works to prevent fogging - provided a speed of at least 50mph.
Below that, and you're stuck with opening the visor, and on a flip-up, that's
decidedly non-ideal.

Moving back to the chin bar...I'm beginning to wonder how this helmet
was tested. I can only assume the factory and development staff all had
severe under-bites.

My chin is decidedly smaller than, say, Bruce Campbell's,
but to wear this helmet, I either have to accept the chin bar ramming painfully
under my chin clamping my jaw shut, or riding painfully against the front
of my chin, forcing an under-bite (and less than protective helmet; isn't
the point of a full-face, or a gimmicky helmet such as this one, to protect
the chin?). It's not that the helmet's the wrong size; it's an XL, and fits
the rest of my head just fine.

Overall? This helmet, after today, will take its place on a hook, to
be used as an emergency ride-to-a-shop-to-buy-another-helmet helmet, if
my main helmet gets trashed.

My current main helmet cost less than a third
of this one's price (an Icon Mainframe on clearance sale for 99$), and is
a joy to wear; I'll probably spend the money to buy another of the same
for passenger use, rather than subject them to the Nexx.

(I really wish I could like this helmet; it decidedly -looks- spiffy.
Maybe they'll improve the design; I'll be paying attention to reviews if
they do. But for now, it's left a sour taste.)"